A father who tortured and killed his newborn daughter in her home in south-east Queensland has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Baby Paige Humpreys was only 31 days old when she died from blunt force trauma in September 2012, with authorities later finding the majority of her tiny body had injuries.
Michael John Humphreys, who was the partner of Paige’s mother at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and on Friday was sentenced to nine years jail, reports The Courier Mail.
Paige suffered almost a lifetime of ‘gratuitous’ violence at the hands of the Humphreys, who had a ‘disturbing’ criminal history and was using the drug ice at the time.
A Queensland court heard Paige endured repeated blows to the back of her head, a blunt object had been forced into her mouth like a finger or pacifier, her limbs had been either twisted or shaken and a hand print shaped bruise was found on her spine.
“It is inconceivable that one human being could do that to a baby of that age,” Justice David Boddice said.
“There is no doubt that the offence is properly to be described as callous, cruel, calculated, deliberate and inexcusable.”
Paige’s mother Sarah Mooney, who was uncontrollably shaking and sweating at the sight of the man who killed her daughter five years ago, told the court she lived in constant fear of Humphreys, who claims to have suffered brain damage after being kicked in the head by a horse as a young child.
“We have been living in a never-ending nightmare,” Ms Mooney said.
His repeated and prolonged abuse of her daughter also lead to her being convicted of failing to provide necessities of life to an infant after her death.
Ms Mooney said she will live with her guilt every day, but said she was powerless to stop the abuse.
